Essential Politics: Big blow to Brown's plans for November

I'm Christina Bellantoni, today's Essential Politics host, as we follow several threads of news on the presidential campaign and here in the Golden State.

A BLOW TO BROWN: JUDGE BLOCKS PAROLE INITIATIVE

Advertisement

Gov. Jerry Brown was dealt what may be a major political and policy setback late Wednesday afternoon, when a judge blocked his much talked-about ballot initiative to change prison parole rules and revamp the juvenile justice system.

As Sacramento Bureau Chief John Myers reports, the judge took aim at Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris for allowing the governor's plan to be grafted onto a proposed initiative that was already on the homestretch of the formal vetting process.

Campaign lawyers said they may appeal directly to the California Supreme Court. And the reason for that is the calendar: A complete do-over of the process could mean Brown and his political allies won't have enough time to gather voter signatures. Most campaign experts say turning in signatures to elections officials later than early May could be too late.

IF YOU CAN'T BEAT HIM, JOIN HIM?

It seems as if Republican leaders who view Donald Trump as a pox on their party have finally settled on a strategy: Resist him as long as they can. Then figure out how to retreat gracefully.

Sarah Wire has been keeping up with the endorsements from California's delegation. While most of the Republicans are staying neutral so far ahead of our June 7 primary, Trump earned his first nod from Congress from Rep. Duncan Hunter (Alpine). Who gets the support of your member of Congress?

Phil Willon reports that the father of slain UC Santa Barbara student Veronika Weiss, one of six people killed during a violent rampage in Isla Vista in 2014, has come out in support of Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom's proposed gun control initiative. Read Bob Weiss' argument, made on what would have been his daughter's 21st birthday.

IT'S OFFICIAL

Harris took the formal step of filing paperwork to run for the U.S. Senate Wednesday. See the photos.